Chapter Eight
The next morning, Jocelyn woke early and it took a moment for her to work out why she felt so restless.
Her stomach dropped. Arthur was to fight Valiant that morning and there was no way he could win against the other knight's magic.
She got out of bed, dressed quickly and was soon hurrying down the corridor. It was not until she was knocking on Arthur's door that she realised how early it was and the thought crossed her mind that he might still be asleep. This was quickly banished as he called for her to come in and she entered the room to find him fully dressed, though not yet in his armour. She watched him for a moment while his back was to her, noting the tense line of his shoulders.
"Good morning," she said quietly and he looked up.
If he was surprised at her presence he didn't show it, merely smiling and saying, "I was just about to have breakfast. Would you like some?"
Jocelyn nodded and went to join him at the table. They were waited on by a servant that wasn't Merlin and, though Jocelyn noticed and sent Arthur a look, she didn't say anything. It was as if they had made a silent pact not to mention anything to do with the upcoming fight or how much danger the prince was in.
They picked at their food without speaking for a long while before it was time for Arthur to get ready. He stood in the centre of the room being buckled into his armour by the servant and Jocelyn retreated to a wooden window seat and watched the courtyard outside with unseeing eyes.
When the servant was checking the back plate of Arthur's armour for the last time, he was brought to a halt by Morgana's entrance. She signalled for him to leave them and stepped forwards to check the fastenings herself. Arthur looked a question and she replied, "I used to help my father with his armour."
Jocelyn looked over at them briefly before returning to staring out of the window. This situation had been repeated many times while they were all growing up. Arthur and Morgana would be involved in something important or exciting, and Jocelyn would be observing from the sidelines. Now they were all older, if not wiser, and it didn't seem like such a game anymore.
Morgana handed Arthur his helmet.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
Morgana nodded and he went to leave the room.
"Arthur!" she called suddenly, seemingly unable to help herself. He turned around.
"Be careful," was all she said, after a moment's hesitation.
He nodded. "See you at the feast." He spared a quick glance for Jocelyn, who met his gaze with a serious expression, before turning and leaving the room.
Morgana hesitated a moment more before sighing and departing as well. Jocelyn lingered a little longer, once more staring out of the window. She watched Arthur cross the courtyard below her, his shoulders back - chain mail and hair gleaming in the early morning sun. Her eyes followed him until he was out of sight and finally she left his room, hurrying so she could resume her vigil as part of the crowd at the fight.
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The crowd roared as Arthur strode into the ring to take up his position, his surcoat billowing and chain mail jangling. Valiant had already been there for a minute and turned to offer his opponent a sardonic bow. Arthur nodded his head in return and both knights donned their helmets.
Jocelyn's hands worked together restlessly as she shifted in her seat. Glancing around, she saw that even Uther was looking nervous, tension palpable in the set line of his jaw.
There was the briefest of salutes, as Arthur held out his sword and Valiant knocked it away, and a ring of metal before Valiant let out a guttural yell and began his attack. Arthur blocked the blow easily enough with his shield and delivered one of his own. For a minute the attacks came fast and furious before their shields crashed together powerfully and each stepped back.
They circled each other, swords poised and ready. There was a flash of dark hair in the corner of her eye and Jocelyn was distracted enough to take a second to register that Merlin had just arrived. The slice of a blade through the air and her attention was immediately recalled to the fight as Arthur raised his arm to block the overhead attack. He followed through with a kick; ferocious enough to cause Valiant to step back, and a blow to the head that removed the other knight's helmet.
There was a pause and the crowd hesitated. The fight could not continue with one combatant without his helmet. Arthur reached up a weary hand and dragged his own from his head, tossing it to one side. There was a cheer. He was acting like the brave and heroic prince they wanted him to be, and that he was.
Jocelyn shifted closer to the edge of her seat, one hand gripping the wooden railing. Beside her, Morgana was clutching the edge of Gwen's cloak and the maid's hands were raised to her mouth in fear.
Uther clapped deliberately to show his approval as the two combatants pulled their chain mail from their heads and held their swords in readiness once more. There was a quick clash of metal and Valiant pinned Arthur's foot before hitting him in the chin with his shield. Arthur staggered backwards and fell.
With another yell, Valiant ran forwards to push his advantage. Uther half rose to his feet in alarm and Jocelyn gasped, leaning closer to the action. Valiant placed his weight on Arthur's shield to prevent him using it and swung down with his sword. At the last moment the prince managed to disengage his arm and roll to the side, avoiding the point of Valiant's blade by seconds.
Arthur got swiftly to his feet, fighting to regain his equilibrium, now with only his sword to defend him. Valiant swung at him once more and there was a quick exchange of thrusts ending with Arthur losing his sword. They closed with each other, both trying to use their brute strength to bear the others arms away from them.
Valiant had the upper hand for a moment, slamming Arthur against the wooden wall. With some reserve of energy Arthur managed to throw him off and the fight continued.
As they stepped back from each other and began to circle once more, two poisonous green snakes slithered from Valiant's shield. The crowd fell into shocked silence before breaking into fearful and outraged speech. Jocelyn was on her feet, but was destined not to be reprimanded this time as both Morgana and Uther were also leaning over the barriers.
Valiant seemed to be suffering some confusion and looked about him in alarm.
"He is using magic." Uther muttered, astounded by the turn events had taken.
"Now they will see you for what you really are," Arthur snarled at Valiant.
All of a sudden, Valiant's panic receded and he smiled wolfishly and gave a little laugh. His cold eyes watched Arthur as the snakes poured onto the ground.
"Kill him!" he ordered and took a step back.
Jocelyn watched in horror, as Arthur was forced to retreat, weaponless, in front of the hissing assassins.
"Jocelyn!" Morgana calling her name forced Jocelyn to turn to her. "The sword!" her sister ordered and, following her frantically pointing hand, Jocelyn saw the guard standing beside her.
Without a second thought, she grabbed the sword and, shouting his name, threw the weapon to Arthur. He snatched it from the air by the hilt and in the same movement sliced off the heads of the two snakes.
Valiant was beginning to look desperate now, shifting anxiously on his feet. Arthur swung the weapon twice before closing in for the attack. Two hard blows and he disarmed Valiant. One thrust and he had killed him, a grim expression on his face.
Jocelyn breathed out and the tension slipped away, as Arthur stepped back, clearly exhausted but still alive. He exchanged a nod with his shell-shocked father, directed a look around the jubilant crowd and then left the stadium, limping only slightly.
Morgana clasped her little sister's arm briefly in congratulation and shared relief.
"Well done," she said.
"It was your idea," Jocelyn replied and they exchanged small smiles before Morgana left the stands.
Before following her, Jocelyn spared Valiant's crumpled body a look. There were already guards hurrying forward to take it away.
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